James Taylor Tea Estate From Kandy

James Taylor, the pioneer of tea industry in Ceylon was born to Michael & Margaret Taylor at Moss park, Monboddo Estate, Laurancekirk in Kincardineshiro, Scotland in 1835 (two years before Queen Victoria ascended the throne). Setting out from London on October 22, 1851 as a youth of 17 he arrived in Ceylon in 1852 and on arrival was sent to Loolcondera estate in Hewaheta a few miles distance from Kandy.

Loolkandura Estate in the Kandy district is the very first patch of tea was planted as a test after the failure of coffee plantation in Sri Lanka. With the wild success of this plantation, then 21 year old planter James Taylor who was in charge of this plantation has been forever immortalized and has become a part of post colonization history of Sri Lanka.